Category: WTA Tour International

Place: Bali, Indonesia

Date: Nov 4-8, 2009

Draw Size: 12-player round-robin

Surface: Hard/Indoors

Prize Money: $600,0000

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

This is an inaugural event (although Bali did have a lower-tier tournament after the U.S. Open for some years). The concept was that the best of the rest, those who did the best in the lower-level tournaments, would be here although there are wild cards, and some flexibility, it seems. For example, Jelena Jankovic would have qualified, but she made the year-end, and so passed on this one. Maria-José Martinez of Spain, who along with partner Nuria Llagostera Vives upset the two top teams and won the doubles in Doha, is here having qualified for the singles.

The wild cards are the appealing Kimiko Date-Krumm (who did win a tournament) and Sabine Lisicki (who didn't, but had some good results and is the fourth-highest ranked player in the event). Good choices.

They're actually playing this indoors, which is bizarre. But maybe it's too hot outside